Easter events for all the family at Edinburgh and Stirling Castles

9 April 2014

Two of Scotland’s top visitor attractions will be laying on a diverse programme of events for families over the Easter weekend.

At Stirling Castle, children will be given the chance to attend ‘fool’s school’ as part of A Stirling Easter. They’ll be able to find out about the role of the jester in the royal court and will have the opportunity to learn some of the tricks jesters might have used to entertain the royal household.

Visitors will also be able to meet Pickles the Bear and Hamish the Highlander and participate in fun outdoor games in the gardens.

At Edinburgh Castle, things will be taking a magical turn with A Magical Easter, part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival. Kramus the Wizard will be on hand for a display of sorcery and visitors will also have the opportunity to get up close to some birds of prey while learning about the myths surrounding owls and their links to wizards and magic.

An interactive science show will teach visitors about medieval construction techniques, and little explorers can even test their knowledge of Edinburgh Castle in a special Easter quiz. The team from the Royal Observatory Edinburgh will also be on hand to teach visitors about the use of the sun and stars for navigation.

Dr Lorna Ewan, Head of Visitor Experience, Content and Learning at Historic Scotland, which operates both sites said: “We’ve got a packed programme of events planned for this summer across our 78 sites and we’ll be kicking things off over the Easter weekend with family events at two of our most popular sites. From a medieval construction show at Edinburgh Castle to the opportunity to play the fool at Stirling Castle, it promises to be a fun weekend for all ages.”

A Magical Easter will take place at Edinburgh Castle from 12pm on 19, 20 and 21 April. A Stirling Easter will take place at Stirling Castle from 12pm on 20 and 21 April.

Notes for editors:

Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government charged with safeguarding the nation’s historic environment. The agency is fully accountable to Scottish Ministers and through them to the Scottish Parliament.

Scotland welcomes the world in the Year of Homecoming 2014 providing a year-long programme of events alongside the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games. The Year of Homecoming Scotland will run until 31 December 2014 throughout the length and breadth of the country. Visitors from around the world are invited to join in a celebration of the nation’s food and drink, active pursuits, cultural heritage, nature and ancestral heritage. Homecoming Scotland 2014 is a Scottish Government initiative being led by EventScotland and VisitScotland, supported by numerous partners. To find out more visit www.homecomingscotland.com. For more on Historic Scotland’s Homecoming activities visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/homecoming or tweet us using #hshomecoming.

With over 25 years’ experience of engaging audiences of all ages with innovative and entertaining science, Edinburgh International Science Festival was the first and remains one of the best science festivals in the world. The Science Festival presents hundreds of events for adults, children and families across the city for two weeks from Saturday 5 to Sunday 20 April 2014. The programme offers talks, workshops, experiments, activities and events, with full details of the programme available online at www.sciencefestival.co.uk